Snow melting apparatus

ABSTRACT

A snow melting apparatus in which a heating assembly is attached to a motion enabling apparatus such as the chassis and engine of a fork lift truck or a ride lawn-mower, or the chassis of a push lawn-mower. The heating assembly is an array of fuel burning nozzles oriented vertically downward, and vertically adjustable in height with respect to the snow surface. The fuel may be propane or fuel oil, stored in a pressure resistant cylinder. The snow melting apparatus may include an air blowing apparatus, such as an electric fan, so as to provide increased oxygen and to direct heat down from the nozzles toward the surface the heater is melting. A de-icing mixture dispenser may also be attached to the unit. The snow melter may be made in a ride version, a push version and a detachable version designed to fit onto commonly available devices such as lawn-mowers.

CLAIM OF PRIORITY

This application claims the priority of U.S. Ser. No. 61/474,153 filed on Apr. 11, 2011, the contents of which are fully incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a snow melting apparatus, and more particularly to a mobile snow melting apparatus.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

After snow storms, roads and walk ways are traditionally cleared by moving the snow away from the road or walk way. Clearing road ways is typically done using snow ploughs attached to the front of gasoline powered trucks. Walkways may be shoveled by hand, or cleared using mechanical equipment such as, but not limited to, diesel powered, hand carried snow blowers.

These methods of clearing roads and walkways result in significant residual piles of snow. Over the course of the winter, this can become problematic for towns, cities and other urban areas as the mounds of snow accumulate, limiting parking space and pedestrian walking space.

The apparatus of the present invention addresses this problem by providing a variety of mobile snow and ice melters that may clear roads and walkways by melting the snow to remove it, rather than merely moving the snow to one side.

DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART

The relevant prior art involving includes:

U.S. Pat. No. 5,357,698 issued to Phillips on Oct. 25, 1994 entitled “Snow blower attachment for lawnmowers and method of clearing snow” that describes an apparatus for clearing snow and other particulate material comprises one or a pair of arms mounted for rotation within the housing of a conventional rotary lawnmower or equivalent, as a substitute for the conventional grass-cutting blade. This enables the lawnmower to be used for clearing snow during the winter, when it cannot be used for cutting grass. The rotatable arm comprises an elongated blade member having upper and lower vanes extending upwardly and downwardly respectively from the blade member. The lower vanes act as knives to cut the snow or material to facilitate removal. The lower vanes are inclined obliquely to the blade axis so as to direct material that is below the blade member inwardly towards the axis of rotation. The upper vanes are inclined obliquely to a blade axis extending radially outwardly from the axis of rotation to direct material above the blade outwardly through a discharge opening of the housing. Inclination of the lower vanes with respect to the blade axis is in an opposite direction to the corresponding inclination of the adjacent upper vanes.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,231,140 issued to Dolton, III on Jun. 12, 2007 entitled “System for removing snow and ice from a surface” that describes a system for removing snow and ice from a surface that includes a fan and a heating element contained within a hollow cavity open at one end, and a hollow duct positioned above the hollow cavity. The hollow duct is open at both ends; one end is positioned directly above the open end of the hollow cavity, while the other end leads back into the hollow cavity through a hole on the other side of the heating element contained therein. The fan blows air past the heating element and out the open end of the hollow cavity. The heated air melts any snow or ice with which it comes into contact. At least some of the heated air that does not contact any snow or ice is drawn into and through the hollow duct, and back into the hollow cavity where it may be reused.

US Patent Publication 20070240700 submitted by Bucklew on Oct. 18, 2007 entitled “Snow and Ice Melter with Enhancements” that describes a snow and ice melter having a body adapted to support a heating unit to heat air, and a flow director having a louver. The flow director is pivotally connected to the heating unit and is generally adapted to direct a flow of the air.

US Patent Publication 20070220781 submitted by Altizer et al. on Sep. 27, 2007 entitled “Snow removal system capable of melting snow” that describes a portable electric snow/ice melter has adjustable legs whereby it can be easily used to melt snow and/or ice of varying depths.

Various implements are known in the art, but fail to address all of the problems solved by the invention described herein. One embodiment of this invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and will be described in more detail herein below.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a snow and ice melting apparatus.

In a preferred embodiment, the snow and ice melting apparatus may include a heating assembly attached to a motion enabling apparatus that may have at least three wheels and a vertical adjustment apparatus.

The motion enabling apparatus may for instance be a vehicle such as, but not limited to, the chassis and engine of a fork lift truck, ride on lawn-mower, the chassis of a push lawn mower, or some combination thereof.

The heating assembly may consist of an array of two or more fuel burning nozzles attached to the motion enabling apparatus so that the tips of the fuel burning nozzles are preferably oriented substantially vertically downward and are substantially coplanar. The heating assembly may also be attached to the motion enabling apparatus in such a way that the vertical adjustment apparatus may move the fuel burning nozzles in a direction that is perpendicular to a plane touching the bottom of the wheels of the motion enabling apparatus. The fuel burning nozzles may, for instance, be designed to burn a fuel such as, but not limited to, propane or fuel oil.

The snow melting apparatus may also have a fuel storage cylinder attached to it, and the heating assembly may include an air blowing apparatus. The air blowing apparatus may, for instance, be an electric fan and may be arranged to blow air vertically downwards past the fuel burning nozzles so as to supply additional oxygen to the burners and to direct heat toward the surface the snow melting apparatus may be traversing.

In a further, preferred embodiment, the snow melting apparatus may include a de-icing mixture dispenser attached to it. This may allow the operator to coat the cleared pavement or walkway with substances, such as, but not limited to, salt and alcohol, that lower the freezing point of any residual water.

The snow melting apparatus may be constructed in a variety of embodiments such as, but not limited to, a ride snow melter having seating for an operator and an engine to propel the snow melting apparatus, a push version having a wheeled chassis but being propelled by a user, and a removable version in which the heating assembly may be designed to be removably attached to an existing apparatus such as, but not limited to, a ride or push lawnmower.

Therefore, the present invention succeeds in conferring the following, and others not mentioned, desirable and useful benefits and objectives.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a convenient means to remove ice or snow from a pavement or driveway.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a means of removing snow without creating piles that obstruct surrounding areas.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a version of the snow melting apparatus that can rise and lower to adjust to levels of snow, requires no great exertion by the operator and is capable of clearing extensive areas such as, but not limited to, long driveways.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a version of the snow melting apparatus that is inexpensive to manufacture.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a version of the snow melting apparatus that can adjust air flow and heat temperature.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows an isometric view of a ride-embodiment of the present invention, seen from above.

FIG. 2 shows an isometric view of a ride-embodiment of the present invention, seen from below.

FIG. 3 shows an isometric view of the underside of a preferred embodiment of a heating assembly of the present invention.

FIG. 4 shows a longitudinal cross-section of a preferred embodiment of a heating assembly and a vertical adjustment apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 5 shows a lateral cross-section of a preferred embodiment of a heating assembly of the present invention.

FIG. 6 shows an isometric view of a push-embodiment of the present invention, seen from above.

FIG. 7 shows an isometric view of a push-embodiment of the present invention, seen from below.

FIG. 8 shows an isometric view of a push-embodiment of the present invention, seen from the side.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. Identical elements in the various figures are identified with the same reference numerals.

Reference will now be made in detail to embodiment of the present invention. Such embodiments are provided by way of explanation of the present invention, which is not intended to be limited thereto. In fact, those of ordinary skill in the art may appreciate upon reading the present specification and viewing the present drawings that various modifications and variations can be made thereto.

FIG. 1 shows an isometric view of a ride-embodiment of the present invention, seen from above.

A preferred embodiment of the ride-snow melting apparatus 100 may include a motion enabling apparatus 110 having at least three wheels 120, a vertical adjustment apparatus 130 and a heating assembly 140. As shown in FIG. 1, in this version of the snow melting apparatus 100, a heat reflecting hood 162 may cover the fuel burning nozzles 210 (shown in FIG. 2) that may help direct the heat downwards.

The motion enabling apparatus 110 and the vertical adjustment apparatus 130 may, for instance, be the chassis and a portion of the lifting system of a standard fork lift truck.

The motion enabling apparatus 110 of the ride-snow melting apparatus 100 may also be the chassis of a ride-lawn mower to which a fork lift truck lifter, or a portion thereof, may be attached and may include a steering assembly 180 and a driver's seat 190.

The snow melting apparatus 100 may include a fuel storage cylinder 150 attached to motion enabling apparatus 110 either directly or as a part of the heating assembly 140 or as a part of the vertical adjustment apparatus 130, or some combination thereof.

In embodiments where the fuel storage cylinder 150 is either mounted on the heating assembly 140 or on a moving element 132 of the vertical adjustment apparatus 130, the piping 155 connecting the fuel storage cylinder 150 to the fuel burning nozzles 210 (shown in FIG. 2) may be rigid piping. However, the fuel storage cylinder 150 may be closer to the fuel burning nozzles 210 and may therefore require additional heat shielding or other safety related measures such as, but not limited to, a pressure release valve.

In embodiments where the fuel storage cylinder 150 is either mounted on the motion enabling apparatus 110 or on the fixed portion 134—fixed with respect to the motion enabling apparatus 110—of the vertical adjustment apparatus 130, the piping 155 may have to be flexible.

The snow melting apparatus 100 may also incorporate a deicing mixture dispenser 185 that may, for instance, be attached to the rear of the snow melting apparatus 100. The deicing mixture dispenser 185 may, for instance, dispense an agent such as, but not limited to, ice, saline or alcohol or some combination thereof, that may act to help prevent re-freezing of any water resulting from melting the snow or ice.

FIG. 2 shows an isometric view of a ride-embodiment of the present invention, seen from below.

In a preferred embodiment of the ride-snow melting apparatus 100, the heating assembly 140 may include two or more fuel burning nozzles 210. The fuel burning nozzles 210 may be attached to the motion enabling apparatus 110 such that the tips of the fuel burning nozzles 210 are substantially coplanar and oriented substantially vertically downward. In this way, the fuel nozzles may be directed downwards towards ice or snow covering pavement the snow melting apparatus 100 is in the process of traversing. The fuel burning nozzles 210 are also placed such that the vertical adjustment apparatus 130 moves the fuel burning nozzles 210 in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to a plane touching the bottom of the wheels 120 of the motion enabling apparatus 110.

In a preferred embodiment, the fuel burning nozzles 210 may be designed to burn propane as it is readily commercially available. One of ordinary skill in the art will, however, readily appreciate that the fuel burning nozzles 210 may be designed to burn any suitable fuel such as, but not limited to, hexadecane, octane, diesel fuel, hexane, pentane, butanol, propane gas, butane gas, benzene, ethane, toluene, xylene, ethanol, methanol, isoporoanol, methane, liquefied petroleum gas, fuel oil, hydrogen or some combination thereof.

There is also a monitor that is incorporated in the heating assembly 140. The temperature monitor may, for instance, be a heat sensing device such as, but not limited to, a thermocouple junction temperature monitor. The results of the temperature monitor measurement may be made available to an operator by, for instance, a display device such as, but not limited to, a liquid crystal display. Seeing the measured temperature may, for instance, allow an operator to adjust the airflow, fuel flow and height of the device to create temperature conditions that may be conducive to melting snow or ice.

The snow melting apparatus 100 may be powered by an engine 170 such as, but not limited to, an electric motor, a diesel engine, a gas internal combustion engine or some combination thereof. The engine 170 may impart motion to the snow melting apparatus 100 by driving one or more of the wheels 120.

The heating assembly 140 may include a heat reflecting hood 162 that may be metal or may be made of, or lined, with a suitable refractory material so as to help direct the heat downwards. The heating assembly 140 may also include a metal grid 220 that may serve to retain, or more evenly distribute, some of the heat provided by the fuel burning nozzles 210. The metal grid 220 may enclose part or the whole of the underside of the heat reflecting hood 162. The metal grid 220 may form part of the support structure of the heating assembly 140 or there may be additional solid support struts 250. The piping 155 conveying the fuel from the fuel storage cylinder 150 to the fuel burning nozzles 210 may also form, or be a part of, the support structure of the heating assembly 140.

The moving element 132 and the fixed portion 134 of the vertical adjustment apparatus 130 may be moved relative to each other using a suitable arrangement of motion elements such as, but not limited to, hydraulic pistons, pulleys, gears, cable, chains or some combination thereof.

FIG. 3 shows an isometric view of the underside of a preferred embodiment of a heating assembly of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 3, there may be a plurality of fuel burning nozzles 210 arranged in a row, protruding from part of the piping 155 that is conveying fuel from the fuel storage cylinder 150. There may also be plurality of piping 155 elements having fuel burning nozzles 210, resulting in a horizontal array of fuel burning nozzles 210 all directed substantially vertically downwards.

The heating of the area beneath the heating assembly 140 may be further enhanced by the use of a heat reflecting hood 162 and a by an air blowing apparatus 160.

The heat reflecting hood 162 may for instance have a refractory lining on the underside. A suitable refractory lining may, for instance, be made from a material that has low thermal conductivity and can withstand high temperature, such as those used in lining furnaces including, but not limited to, fire-brick having sufficient quantities of alumina and silica, refractory ceramic, silica firebrick, magnesium oxide, red clay brick, or some combination thereof.

The air blowing apparatus 160 may be designed to blow air down over the fuel burning nozzles 210 towards the snow or ice being melted beneath the heating assembly 140.

The air blowing apparatus 160 may, for instance, be an electric fan with adjustable speeds to allow an operator to adjust the rate of air flow according to factors such as, but not limited to, the depth of snow being dealt with, whether it is snow or ice being melted and the nature of the surface on which the snow or ice is laying, or some combination thereof.

-   -   FIG. 4 shows a longitudinal cross-section of a preferred         embodiment of a heating assembly and a vertical adjustment         apparatus of the present invention.

The cross-sectional drawing shows an embodiment of the snow melting apparatus 100 in which the heat reflecting hood 162, the piping 155 supplying fuel to the fuel burning nozzles 210 and the air blowing apparatus 160, may be supported on the moving element 132 of the vertical adjustment apparatus 130 by solid support struts 250.

-   -   FIG. 5 shows a lateral cross-section of a preferred embodiment         of a heating assembly of the present invention. The         cross-sectional drawing shows an embodiment of the snow melting         apparatus 100 in which the fuel burning nozzles 210 may be on         the ground facing side of the piping 155 supplying fuel to them.

The heating effect of the fuel burning nozzles 210 may be enhanced by both the heat reflecting hood 162 and the air blowing apparatus 160.

The heat reflecting hood 162 may, for instance, be constructed from or lined with, a suitable refractory material such as, but not limited to, fire-brick having sufficient quantities of alumina and silica, refractory ceramic, silica firebrick, magnesium oxide, red clay brick, or some combination thereof. The heat reflecting hood 162 may then act as an oven, or furnace, and may sustain a higher temperature than the fuel burning nozzles 210 alone, thereby improving both the speed and the efficiency of melting snow or ice beneath the heat reflecting hood 162.

The air blowing apparatus 160 may blow air down over the piping 155 and past the fuel burning nozzles 210 toward the ground. This air may improve the melting process by providing additional oxygen to burn the fuel, much like a bellows in a furnace. The air may also help convect the heat from the fuel burning nozzles 210 toward the snow or ice beneath the heat reflecting hood 162.

FIG. 6 shows an isometric view of a push-embodiment of the present invention, seen from above. The push snow melting apparatus 300 may, for instance, have a heating assembly 140 attached to the front of the motion enabling apparatus 110 and a rear extension platform 330 the rear.

The rear extension platform 330 may, for instance, carry fuel in a gas storage cylinder 230 and a gas pressure regulating value 240. In this way the weight of the heating assembly 140 may be counterbalanced.

In a preferred embodiment, the motion enabling apparatus 110 of the push snow melting apparatus 300 has four, unpowered wheels 120 and may be moved by the operator pushing or pulling on the adjustable handle 310. The adjustable handle 310 may be adjustable in length to accommodate operators of different heights.

The adjustable handle 310 may also house an ignition, fuel flow and height control unit 320 so that the operator may easily start the fuel burning nozzles 210, and control the flow of fuel to them. The ignition, fuel flow and height control unit 320 may also control the rate of air flow through the air blowing apparatus 160 that may be placed on top of the heat reflecting hood 162.

In one embodiment, the vertical adjustment apparatus 130 may be a vertically separated set of horizontal slots that may accommodate the axels joining the four wheels 120 to the body of the motion enabling apparatus 110. In that manner the entire push snow melting apparatus 300 may be raised of lowered with respect to the ground it is traversing.

In an alternative embodiment, the vertical adjustment apparatus 130 may be a simple hydraulic jack or piston that raises or lowers the heating assembly 140 with respect to the motion enabling apparatus 110. In such an embodiment, the piping 155 may need to be flexible, or otherwise designed to accommodate the relative change in heights between the heating assembly 140 and the gas pressure regulating value 240.

FIG. 7 shows an isometric view of a push-embodiment of the present invention, seen from below.

In a preferred embodiment, the push snow melting apparatus 300 may include a heating assembly 140 and a motion enabling apparatus 110. The motion enabling apparatus 110 may have four unpowered wheels 120 and a rear extension platform 330 that holds the fuel storage cylinder 150 and the gas pressure regulating value 240.

The motion enabling apparatus 110 may also have an adjustable handle 310 that may be used to push or pull the push snow melting apparatus 300 over the snow or ice to be melted. For ease of use the adjustable handle 310 may include a hand operated ignition, fuel flow and height control unit 320.

The heating assembly 140 may be adjusted in height with respect to the axels connecting each of the wheels 120 to the motion enabling apparatus 110. The heating assembly 140 may include fuel burning nozzles 210 on the underside of the piping 155 that connects them to the solid support struts 250 via the gas pressure regulating value 240. The fuel burning nozzles 210 may also be covered by a heat reflecting hood 162 that is made of, or lined with, a suitable refractory material to provide an oven or furnace like environment.

The heating assembly 140 may also include a air blowing apparatus 160 that may be supported by the heat reflecting hood 162. In addition to convecting the heat downwards, the air blowing apparatus 160 may also increase the temperature produced by the fuel burning nozzles 210 by supplying them with additional oxygen.

In further embodiments, the heating assembly 140 and the vertical adjustment apparatus 130 may be detachable from the rest of either push or the ride embodiments of the snow melting apparatus 100.

The detachable heating assembly 140 and vertical adjustment apparatus 130 may, for instance, have suitable couplings or connectors so that they may be readily attached to existing garden equipment such as, but not limited to, consumer push lawn movers and consumer ride lawn mowers.

The ride embodiment of the snow melting apparatus 100 may be operated by a person seated in the driver's seat 190. The user may steer the vehicle by means of a steering assembly 180 and effect forward motion stopping by means of pedals and/or levers, as is common practise in automobiles and other mechanical moving devices. The snow melting apparatus 100 may also contain conveniently placed controls for performing functions of the machine such as, but not limited to, igniting the fuel burning nozzles 210, raising and lowering the heating assembly 140 and using the deicing mixture dispenser 185 to dispense deicing fluid or powder. To melt the snow the operator may raise the heating assembly 140, maneuver the snow melting apparatus 100 so the heating assembly 140 is over the snow to be melted and then lower the heating assembly 140 by means of the vertical adjustment apparatus 130 while the motion enabling apparatus 110 remains stationary. Once the snow is melted, the snow melting apparatus 100 may be moved forward onto the now cleared patch, and the process repeated on the next patch of snow.

Alternately, the user may adjust parameters such as, but not limited to, the height of the heating assembly 140, the rate of fuel flow, the speed of the air blowing apparatus 160 or some combination thereof to obtain sufficient melting power to continuously melt a pathway in front of the snow melting apparatus 100 while it moves forward at an appropriate pace.

FIG. 8 shows an isometric view of a push-embodiment of the present invention, seen from the side. In FIG. 8, a riding lawn mower 400 is attached to the snow melting apparatus 100 and is used to push the snow melting apparatus in front of it. In this embodiment, the detachable heating assembly 140 and vertical adjustment apparatus 130 would have suitable couplings or connectors so that they may be readily attached to the riding lawn mower. The fuel storage cylinder 150, air blowing apparatus 160, heat reflecting hood 162 and solid support struts 250 could remain the same as in the previous embodiment but could also be modified to be used with the riding lawn mower 400.

Alternately, there could be a separate retrofit package that could be installed on the snow melting apparatus 100 to allow it to be coupled to a riding lawn mower 400.

Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made only by way of illustration and that numerous changes in the details of construction and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention. 

1. A snow melting apparatus, comprising: a motion enabling apparatus having at least three wheels and a vertical adjustment apparatus; a fuel storage cylinder attached to said motion enabling apparatus; and a heating assembly comprising at least two fuel burning nozzles and attached to said motion enabling apparatus such that the tips of said fuel burning nozzles are substantially coplanar and oriented substantially vertically downward, and such that said vertical adjustment apparatus moves said fuel burning nozzles in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to a plane touching the bottom of said at least three wheels.
 2. The snow melting apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an air blowing apparatus attached to said heating assembly such that air is blown substantially vertically downwards past said fuel burning nozzles and can be adjusted.
 3. The snow melting apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a deicing mixture dispenser attached to said motion enabling apparatus.
 4. The snow melting apparatus of claim 1 wherein said motion enabling apparatus further comprises an engine configured to drive at least one of said wheels.
 5. The snow melting apparatus of claim 4 and wherein said conveyance platform comprises a driver's seat and a steering assembly.
 6. The snow melting apparatus of claim 1 wherein said fuel burning nozzle burn propane gas.
 7. The snow melting apparatus of claim 1 wherein said fuel burning nozzles burn fuel oil.
 8. The snow melting apparatus of claim 1 wherein it can be adjusted to adjust the amount of heat delivered.
 9. The snow melting apparatus of claim 1 wherein said heating assembly is removably attached to said motion enabling apparatus.
 10. The snow melting apparatus of claim 1 wherein said motion enabling apparatus is propelled by pushing.
 11. The snow melting apparatus of claim 1 wherein said motion enabling apparatus is propelled by pulling. 